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Wednesday, 4 January 2017

TOTTENHAM take on Chelsea on Wednesday looking to end the Premier League leaders’ 13-match winning streak.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side know defeat at White Hart Lane would
almost certainly end any lingering hopes of being involved in the title
race this season.
Chelsea
are in formidable form on the back of a run of results that have taken
them five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.
But Spurs
know if they can beat their London rivals they will move back into the
top four and blow the Premier League race wide open again.

Harry Kane is the capital king

In Harry Kane, Spurs possess a striker who just can’t stop scoring in London derbies.
The England striker has scored 17 goals from his last 17 clashes
between capital sides in the league – including ten in his last nine
played at White Hart Lane.
Having scored a double against Watford on New Year’s Day, Kane is at
the top of his form and poses a major threat to Chelsea’s defence.

Chelsea don’t like the Lane

Tottenham have nothing to fear about Chelsea visiting north London –
the last time the Blues won at White Hart Lane was back in 2012.
Since Chelsea won 4-2 that October, they have failed to win on their following three visits.
Spurs won one and drew two of those matches, so there is no reason why they cannot keep that run going themselves.

Danny Rose and Kyle Walker

While the likes of Diego Costa and Eden Hazard have taken much of the
plaudits, the work of Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso on either wing has
been crucial.
Antonio Conte asks his wing-backs to burst forward and provide
crucial width when Chelsea attack - but they have their work cut out to
make an impact against Tottenham's full-backs.
Not only are they defensively sound, but both Rose and Walker bomb on
at the first opportunity and that will get Alonso and Moses on the back
foot.
If they can dominate out wide, Spurs can nullify one of the big Chelsea threats.

The case for the defence

Tottenham's defensive record is second only to Chelsea's this season having conceded just 14 goals.
The Blues have conceded only one fewer, but the Spurs record is even
more impressive given they have been without their best defender Toby
Alderweireld for almost half of their league games - but the Belgian is
back and available for this big game.
Diego Costa leads the goalscoring charts this season, but there are
few better defenders in the country than Alderweireld and if anyone can
stop the Spaniard it is him.

Chelsea are no longer blowing teams away with ease

The blistering form of Antonio Conte's side has now been replaced by displays in which opponents are more than competitive.
They were made to work hard for single-goal wins over West Brom and
struggling duo Sunderland and Crystal Palace while Stoke exposed some
weaknesses at the back in the 4-2 victory for Chelsea on New Year's Eve.
It is hard to maintain such high standards as Chelsea have been doing
but the signs are there that form is dipping, and Spurs have it in them
to capitalise.

Home fortress

Put simply, no team has gone to White Hart Lane and won this season
so Chelsea have it all to do if they are to continue their winning
streak.
Pochettino's men have won seven and drawn two of their nine home
matches this season - and are on a four match winning run in the Premier
League in front of their own fans.
Results like that become a habit and Spurs have the players and the backing to unsettle Conte's side.

Attack, attack, attack

No matter who you are playing, if your attack is on song then you
have a fighting chance in any game - and Tottenham's is on fire right
now.

They have hit four goals in both their last two matches, finding the net 13 times in the last four games.
Key players Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen are playing well and players are chipping in with goals across the team.
Chelsea have as much to fear from Tottenham as Spurs have from the Blues.